Wine Cork Bulletin Board Project

I haven't written in a while so I thought I would put up pictures of the art project I made today. My mom and I collect interesting wood picture frames at yard sales particularly with bad images on them so that we can use the awesome frames in other projects.  I have been collecting wine corks for a while now and my future father-in-law gave me a big bag of them too so I thought I would try to make a few cork bulletin boards.  Really easy to make.  Use frames with a hard board... in this case all these frames had an image that was printed on a hard surface instead of covered by glass or canvas. Spray paint the entire thing with flat paint of your choice.  I chose black. Then use wood glue to attach corks on the board in a checkerboard pattern.  I had to cut a few corks in half lengthwise or heightwise to make them all fit since corks can vary in size. I recommend weighting the corks down with a brick or something heavy while the glue is drying. Use push pins to hang up mail, menus etc.  

Note:  I really like the way the one with the champagne corks is looking but I have to collect a few more corks before I can finish that one!

This is what the two smaller frames looked like before they got painted. The two smaller frames were a dollar for both and the larger frame was three dollars. I think all of them are probably from the 1940's........ ish.

Amaretto Tiramisu with Dark Chocolate Swirls

This is such a great dessert to make for a dinner party.  Really easy once you learn the steps the first time and it is sure to wow.  No bake, just make ahead at least 2 hours. Try variations on this to suite your taste, add sliced strawberries in a layer, replace amaretto with hazlenut liqueur or godiva chocolate liqueur, or add candied orange peel.  Hope you enjoy!

AMARETTO TIRAMISU

6 egg yolks

3-4 tblsp sugar (depends on how sweet your lady fingers are)

2 packages marscapone cheese (1 lb.)

2 cups strong espresso cooled

2 shots Disaronno Amaretto

1 package lady finger cookies (I prefer Alessi brand in the breadstick section of grocery stores, not cookie section, usually comes 24 cookies to a pack)

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 dark chocolate bar

 ln a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and color changes from a bright lemon yellow to a very pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Next, add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and 1 tsp. of amaretto and mix until thoroughly combined. This cream is traditionally known as zabaglione cream that is used in many Italian desserts usually used with marsala instead of espresso. Delicious stuff!

In a small shallow dish, add remaining espresso and amaretto. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish, I used a pie pan. I can't wait to get standard baking dishes for my wedding!  If you need to, break the cookies in half if necessary in order to fit the bottom properly.

Spread evenly 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with remaining mascarpone mixture.

Finally, cover thetiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.

Before serving,shake cocoa powder over the top using a screen and  sprinkle with chocolate shavings. To make chocolate shavings, take the dark chocolate bar and turn it over on it's side.  Use a vegetable peeler and in single long motions peel top layer off until the bar is used up.

Enjoy!